Additional information

Pharmacokinetics and dosing

A population pharmacokinetic analysis of empagliflozin was performed from phase I, II and III studies in 2761 persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Compared to men, women had 11% lower clearance and approximately 10-15% higher AUC of empagliflozin [1].

Pooled data from five randomized Phase I and II clinical trials (574 men, 400 women), four were included in the population pharmacokinetic analysis mentioned above, and showed that women had a 5% smaller apparent central volume of distribution (V2/F) than men [2].

Effects

A secondary analysis of the placebo-controlled EMPA-REG OUTCOME trial (5016 men, 2004 women) showed that empagliflozin reduced cardiovascular death, non-fatal stroke and non-fatal myocardial infarction to a similar degree in men and women. No sex differences in cardiovascular death, hospitalization for heart failure, or incident or worsening nephropathy were observed [3].

A population exposure-response analysis of empagliflozin plasma concentrations from Phase I, II and III studies in persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus (2217 men, 1848 women) showed that the maximum reduction of fasting plasma glucose (Gmax) was 11% lower in women than in men [1]. Contrary to these findings, a covariate analysis of five randomized Phase I and II clinical trials in persons with type 2 diabetes (232 men, 63 women) showed that women had 12% higher Gmax than men. No clinically relevant difference between men and women was noted in urinary glucose excretion [4].

No differences in body weight, waist circumference, index of central obesity or visceral adiposity index between men and women with type 2 diabetes mellitus treated with empagliflozin were observed in analysis of data from five randomized placebo-controlled studies (1846 men, 1454 women). [5].

Adverse effects

Empagliflozin treatment have been associated with increased incidence of genital infections in both men and women, as compared to placebo [1, 3].